Taking Plaquenil = hair loss + feeling worse + rash

[QueenV]

I've been taking Plaquenil for about a month now and I'm feeling much worse. I took it many years ago, and as I recall I got a lot worse before I got better. Has this been anyone else's experience?

Today I felt a six inch by 1.5 inch strip of nubbly hair on my scalp, it feels like it was fairly recently shaved! Hubby took a look and verified it. He also said I have a few pink spots where the hair fell out.

I used to get a butterfly rash on my face occasionally, but since I started plaquenil it's come back with a vengeance. I took pictures of it to show to my rheumy. Am I ever the oddball, or can anyone relate?

Victoria

[Corella]

This worries me as I am due to start this medication soon, I have heard from several that their hair grew on Plaquenil and not fell out.

Hope its not related and you feel better soon

[Meld256]

Victoria,

I'm sorry you're experiencing these problems.  The missing strip of hair must be surprising. That's a good idea to take the pictures to your rhuemy. Contacting your doctor and asking their advice would be the best suggestion I have for you.  Hopefully, they can get you some answers as to why this happened.

Corella,
As with my experience and others that I know of here on the board on Plaquenil, a few have had just a bit of hair loss and some none at all.  I hope this doesn't scare you off from trying a med that could help quite a bit. 

Take care, and Queen, please keep us updated, ok?
Melinda

[gurs]

I have never heard of the hair loss this way with plaq....sounds like more of an allergy to it than a side effect? would check with your doc.
My hair was always better on plaquenil..

Gursie

[mshistory]

I do think this sounds more like an allergic reaction as well, although it's not necessarily to the active ingredient in Plaquenil. You could be reacting to one of the fillers in the generic brand you got this time. I would check w/your rheumy, but perhaps switching to the name brand could help?

Both times I've tried to take prednisone I've had allergic reactions - I've been told there's something in the filler that I'm reacting to (I break out in a sunburn like rash that itches and even get the malar rash on my face, which I never get otherwise...)

[Corella]

Im getting my script tomorrow, I have heard mixed reviews about drinking on it, my GP said you can but I have heard otherwise - something about it affecting the liver?

Do any of you that take Plaquenil drink?

[Patze]

Hi Victoria, have you checked with your rheumy about your hair loss (I'm not in any medical field so I can't diagnose).  I ask because it could be another AI or something else hiding in your body now showing itself.  Hang in there, and please keep us updated, okay?

Hi Corella, if you drink or not really depends on you and your doctor as its such an individual choice (I don't drink anymore because my liver has enough issues).

Take care of yourselves -

Patze

[mshistory]

Corella, my rheumy said alcohol is fine, the only thing you can't do is smoke because it negates the effects of the Plaquenil. He said drinking is not ok if you're on methotrexate though.

[QueenV]

As always, thank you to all for the suggestions and support. I will definitely bring these issues up with my rheumy and I'll keep you posted.

[gurs]

Not sure what generic brand your taking, but I would try another brand as mentioned above. I just went to CVS last week and they said they only carried Ranbaxy, which I heard to stay away from. Right away, he told me he could order a different manufacturer and got me
Watson...they can do this simply and dont need your doc's approval, etc. Was very simple.

Def sounds like an allergy though.

Gursie

[QueenV]

Well, you guys are going to get a chuckle out of this one. My hair stylist looked at my hair and asked if I had burned my head/hair with a curling iron (I don't use one). So, guess what caused the hair loss on the back of my head? My heating pad! I remember having it rolled under my neck while lying back in my recliner. I was completely exhausted and fell asleep on top of the pad. When I woke up my body had slid down in the chair and the pad unrolled and moved up to my head. I'm positive the heating pad burned my hair off because it matches up perfectly with the heating element pattern on the heating pad. Odd that I don't have any pain, but thankful.

I feel like a complete dunce, but I'm laughing on this end. 

[valene2009]

victoria-sorry to hear about the hair loss like that.. (( 
i am on plaquenil and experienced hair loss but not like that.. i swear more still comes out when i shampoo but the first 3 months were the worst but i have a ton of hair to start with and its still very thick... but i just washed it tonight andnoticed more does come out but it seems to not be so bad like the first 3 months..

hang in there..   side effects suck..i just tried cymbalta and couldnt tolerate it and i need some mental help!! lol